Characteristic of information: clarity
Name:
Date:
Class:
A
Quick Questions
Shade in the A or B circle for each question.
1. Which column heading shows clarity?
2. A graph shows 'Sales' on the y-axis with no unit. What is the problem?
3. Which statement about clarity is true?
4. Which label is clearer for a spreadsheet column?
5. A table says 'Temp: 25'. How can you improve its clarity?
B
Match the Pairs
Draw a line connecting each item on the left to its match on the right.
| Left column | Right column | |
|---|---|---|
| 1Height (cm) | ATime is ambiguous because it has no unit. 15 could be seconds, minutes or hours. It should be a heading like Time (minutes). | |
| 2Size | BAn ambiguous heading that could mean height, width, weight or file size, so it lowers clarity | |
| 3Adding a unit to a heading removes doubt about how a value is measured | CA clear column heading that names what is measured and gives the unit, so the data is easy to understand | |
| 4A clear heading names exactly what the column contains | DDistance (km) | |
| 5Column heading: Time | Value: 15 | EBig is a vague, ambiguous term that does not say what is measured. It should be a specific heading like Height (cm). | |
| 6Column heading: Big | Value: 180 | FStudent Test Score (out of 50) |
C
Definitions
Clarity
D
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each line of code by filling in the missing parts.
1.
A1: Height (__)
2.
B1: Mass (__)
3.
C1: Time taken (___)
4.
"Size" is an _________ heading
5.
D1: Date (__________)
E
Spot the Error
Shade in the letter of the line that contains an error.
Question 1
A
Student,Height (cm),Mass (kg)
B
Ava,162,54
C
Ben,175,68
D
Cai,1.68,61
Question 2
A
Title: Daily rainfall, Hobart
B
X axis: Date (dd/mm/yyyy)
C
Y axis: Amount
D
Legend: Rainfall in mm
Question 3
A
A1: Item name
B
B1: Price (AUD)
C
C1: Number
D
D1: Date ordered (dd/mm/yyyy)
Question 4
A
A1: Temp
B
B1: Time (24-hour)
C
A2: 21.5
D
B2: 14:30
Question 5
A
Q: Distance to school (km)?
B
A: Under 2 km
C
B: 2 to 5 km
D
C: Far away
Answer Key
Characteristic of information: clarity
Section A: Quick Questions
Q1
A — Height (cm)
Q2
B — It lacks clarity because the unit is missing
Q3
B — Clear information is easy to understand and not ambiguous
Q4
A — Date of Birth (DD/MM/YYYY)
Q5
A — Change it to 'Temperature (°C): 25'
Section B: Match the Pairs
Q1
Height (cm) → A clear column heading that names what is measured and gives the unit, so the data is easy to understand
Q2
Size → An ambiguous heading that could mean height, width, weight or file size, so it lowers clarity
Q3
Adding a unit to a heading removes doubt about how a value is measured → Distance (km)
Q4
A clear heading names exactly what the column contains → Student Test Score (out of 50)
Q5
Column heading: Time | Value: 15 → Time is ambiguous because it has no unit. 15 could be seconds, minutes or hours. It should be a heading like Time (minutes).
Q6
Column heading: Big | Value: 180 → Big is a vague, ambiguous term that does not say what is measured. It should be a specific heading like Height (cm).
Section C: Definitions
Q1
Clarity — Information has clarity when it is easy to understand and not ambiguous, thanks to clear headings, labels, units and wording (e.g. 'Height (cm)' not 'Size').Section D: Fill in the Blanks
Q1
A1: Height (cm)Q2
B1: Mass (kg)Q3
C1: Time taken (min)Q4
"Size" is an ambiguous headingQ5
D1: Date (dd/mm/yyyy)Section E: Spot the Error
Q1
D — The Height column is in cm, but 1.68 looks like metres. Mixing units under one clear heading makes the data confusing. It should be 168.
Q2
C — 'Amount' is vague and has no unit, so the reader can't tell what is measured. A clear label is 'Rainfall (mm)'.
Q3
C — 'Number' is an ambiguous heading because it doesn't say what is being counted. A clear heading is 'Quantity in stock'.
Q4
A — The heading 'Temp' has no unit, so 21.5 could be Celsius or Fahrenheit. It should say 'Temperature (C)'.
Q5
D — 'Far away' is an ambiguous term because people will read it differently. It should give a clear range with a unit, such as 'Over 5 km'.